Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Rustenburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Rustenburg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,150 per month in Durban vs $831 in Rustenburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,789 per month in Durban vs $1,355 in Rustenburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,428 per month in Durban vs $1,879 in Rustenburg, rent included.

Durban costs about 39% more than Rustenburg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Durban and Rustenburg are more affordable than the global median – Durban 16% lower, Rustenburg 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.10 R 130

$6.12 R 97.9

32.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.00 R 640

$46.53 R 744

-14.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.80 R 92.8

$6.63 R 106

-12.52%

Cappuccino

$2.78 R 44.52

$2.09 R 33.45

33.01%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 R 18.28

$0.91 R 14.56

25.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 R 14.90

$0.51 R 8.22

82.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 R 38.76

$1.57 R 25.03

54.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 R 44.37

$2.15 R 34.45

28.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 R 20.07

$1.13 R 18.07

10.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 R 15.85

$1.08 R 17.21

-8.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 R 26.25

$1.75 R 27.92

-6.29%

Eggs

$2.44 R 39.08

$2.68 R 42.93

-8.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.65 R 138

$7.74 R 124

11.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.64 R 90.2

$5.18 R 82.8

8.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.30 R 117

$6.59 R 105

10.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 R 30.12

$1.90 R 30.32

-1.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 R 30.54

$1.63 R 26.07

17.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 R 30.82

$1.84 R 29.51

4.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 R 26.77

$1.13 R 18.03

47.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 R 24.81

$1.38 R 22.02

12.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 R 24.46

$1.11 R 17.79

37.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 R 19.57

$1.38 R 22.08

-11.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 R 19.94

$0.96 R 15.31

30.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.72 R 59.5

$3.20 R 51.2

16.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.83 R 77.2

$6.03 R 96.5

-19.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 R 24.17

$0.64 R 10.20

135.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 R 31.54

$0.89 R 14.17

121.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.93 R 30.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.24 R 356

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 R 7.21

$0.89 R 14.26

-49.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 R 12.28

$0.97 R 15.54

-20.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.72 R 123

$14.66 R 234

-47.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 R 23.45

$1.43 R 22.81

2.80%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.5K R 583.5K

$29.6K R 473.4K

23.27%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$33.0K R 527.4K

$28.3K R 452.0K

16.68%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$148 R 2,369

$78.8 R 1,260

88.07%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$35.25 R 564

$14.19 R 227

148.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.89 R 622

$38.29 R 612

1.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.54 R 504

$21.45 R 343

47.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.41 R 150

$6.31 R 101

49.13%

Cinema Ticket

$6.68 R 107

$5.04 R 80.5

32.54%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$331 R 5,295

$115 R 1,844

187.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,462 R 119.3K

$5,694 R 91.1K

31.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 R 854

$43.56 R 697

22.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.55 R 489

$47.09 R 753

-35.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 R 1,615

$111 R 1,771

-8.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.7 R 1,419

$55.6 R 890

59.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 R 7,829

$337 R 5,385

45.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 R 6,396

$244 R 3,899

64.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$862 R 13.8K

$756 R 12.1K

14.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 R 12.6K

$531 R 8,491

48.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$934 R 14.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$590 R 9,436

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,250 R 20.0K

$1,108 R 17.7K

12.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.66

9.9

17.78%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Durban: August 30, 2026

Last update for Rustenburg: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Durban versus $337 in Rustenburg. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 13% higher in Durban, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Durban versus $47.00 in Rustenburg. Groceries tell a different story – $201 in Durban vs $181 in Rustenburg – so Rustenburg wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Durban vs Rustenburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Durban is pricier by about 39%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,726 per month in Durban and $1,246 in Rustenburg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rustenburg, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Durban and $47.00 in Rustenburg. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Durban, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Rustenburg, where all-in costs run around $831, than in Durban at $1,150. In Rustenburg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Durban it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rustenburg – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Rustenburg. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Durban makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.